Michael Bourn Stats & Scouting Report

AB	4784
AVG	.266
OBP	.329
SLG	.357
HR	36

Full name Michael Ray Bourn
Born 12/27/1982 in Houston, TX
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Houston
Debut 07/30/2006
Drafted in the 4th round (115th overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2003 (signed for $299,000).

View Draft Report

Bourn is as fast as any prospect in the draft. After leading the Cape Cod League with 23 steals last summer, he missed four weeks early this season after breaking the hamate bone in his right wrist. He's perfectly content to play a speed game, slapping balls to the left side of the field and putting pressure on the defense. For a potential leadoff man, he was too aggressive this spring and his walk rate plummeted. He's good at chasing balls down in center field and has a playable arm.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Houston acquired Bourn and Mike Costanzo along with Geoff Geary in a November trade that sent Brad Lidge to Philadelphia. Bourn spent all of 2007 in the majors but got just 15 starts and 119 at-bats while serving mainly as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. Upon his arrival, Bourn immediately became the fastest runner and one of the best defensive outfielders among Houston prospects. One club official joked that Bourn's speed rated a 90 on the 20-80 scouting scale, and he was caught just once in 19 steal attempts last season. He knows how to make best use of his quickness, spraying line drives from gap to gap and showing an eye for drawing walks. He has a strong arm for a center fielder. Bourn never will hit for much power and needs to make more consistent contact to be a truly effective leadoff man. He hit just .154 against lefthanders in 2007, though battling southpaws hadn't been a problem in the past. The best-case scenario is Bourn develops into the younger version of Juan Pierre. It will be an upset if he's not batting leadoff and playing center field for Houston in 2008, shifting Hunter Pence to right.
Though the Phillies have seen many of their prospects struggle after skipping a level, Bourn succeeded after skipping high Class A in 2005. He repeated Double-A in 2006, played half the year in Triple-A and finished it in Philadelphia. He has led the system in steals in each of his three full seasons. Bourn is the organization's best leadoff hitter and offers a package of line drives, plate discipline and speed. He bunts well and has game-changing quickness on the bases. Bourn is a plus defender in center field with outstanding range and a strong arm. He'll never hit for much power, though Bourn has worked on taking pitches to the opposite field. As a leadoff hitter he still needs to cut down on his strikeouts, be more patient and prove he can work deep counts consistently. If the Phillies trade Aaron Rowand, Bourn would be the best in-house candidate to replace him. Otherwise, he'll open 2007 at the club's new Triple-A Ottawa affiliate. He could become Philadelphia's version of Juan Pierre, with better plate discipline and a stronger arm.
After Bourn posted a .433 on-base percentage in low Class A in 2004, the Phillies skipped him a level to Double-A. His offensive numbers weren't as robust, but he handled the move well and made adjustments. Managers rated him the Eastern League's most exciting player and he led the system in steals. Bourn offers the quickness, aptitude and offensive approach required of a leadoff hitter. He's the system's best defensive outfielder and also has an above-average arm. The fastest player in the system, he outraced Greg Golson by a step in the 60-yard dash. Bourn's strikeout rate jumped in 2005, though the Phillies aren't as concerned because he faced a two-level jump and pitchers with more advanced command than he had previously seen. His tendency to hit deep in counts also contributed, and he should be able to adapt with more at-bats against better pitchers. Bourn likely will return to Double-A to gain confidence before moving to Triple-A sometime in 2006. He could take over everyday duties in Philadelphia in 2007, though Greg Golson should press him for the center-field job down the road.
The Astros chose Bourn in the 19th round out of high school, but he opted to attend Houston, where he stole 90 bases in three years. He picked up two hits, two walks and three steals in his first game of 2004 and never looked back. He tied for third in the minors in triples while leading the South Atlantic League in walks, on-base percentage and steals. Bourn knows his role as a leadoff hitter. He works counts, hits the ball on the ground and then makes use of his excellent speed. He beat Greg Golson by a step in a 60-yard dash in instructional league. He's also an above-average defender with good instincts. His arm is average. Hitting instructor Donnie Long reminds Bourn not to always beat the ball into the ground because he has enough strength to drive low, inside pitches for extra-base hits. Bourn's a solid bunter but the Phillies want him to get better. Bourn's first two pro seasons impressed the Phillies enough that they now consider him their long-term center fielder. He'll move to high Class A Clearwater and could reach Double-A by the end of 2005.
An excellent high school athlete and scholar, Bourn turned down the Astros as a 19th-round pick in 2000 in favor of a scholarship to Houston. Though hampered at times by a broken hamate bone and sore hamstring, Bourn stole 90 bases in three seasons with the Cougars and ranked fifth in the short-season New York-Penn League in his pro debut. Bourn is a Kenny Lofton type and he knows it. He doesn't try to do too much and is content to work a walk or lay down a bunt. His top-of-the-line speed comes with quick acceleration, making him play even faster. He's an obvious threat on the bases and tracks down everything in center field. Bourn's arm strength is fringe average, but his reads and instincts still make him an above-average defender. He's not a home run hitter by any means, but he can shoot balls into the gaps when he gets his pitch. Bourn and fellow 2003 draftee Javon Moran are similar players. They'll continue alternating between left and center field at low Class A Lakewood in 2004. The Phillies hope Bourn can become a leadoff hitter with game-changing skills.

Minor League Top Prospects

Bourn played for four teams this summer, ranging from Double-A Reading to the Phillies to Team USA, with perhaps his finest moment coming when he connected for two home runs in a victory against Cuba in the Olympic qualifying tournament. He spent just six weeks with Scranton, but made the most of his well above-average speed by stealing 15 bases in 16 tries and hitting seven triples, good for fourth in the league. Bourn has shown improvement with each promotion and he plays up to his strengths. He runs extremely well and is a smart baserunner capable of reading pitchers and using his raw speed. He has a good batting eye and projects as a solid-average major league hitter. He's also a plus defensive center fielder with a slightly above-average, accurate arm. His power is strictly gap-to-gap and is below average, but he can surprise opponents, as he did by taking Cuban flamethrower Pedro Luis Lazo deep. The Phillies want him to concentrate on hitting the ball in the air less and cutting down on his strikeouts, a byproduct of working deep counts.
Bourn made a two-level jump when he skipped high Class A and opened the season as Reading's starting center fielder. His toolset is similar to Span's, though he's a tick faster and a year older. Bourn makes things happen with his top-of-the-line speed and has gap power. He suffered through a second-half slump when he became impatient at the plate, which hadn't been a problem in the past. He's a very good defensive center fielder with excellent range, good instincts and an average arm.
Bourn competed with Lexington's Josh Anderson for the title of SAL's best leadoff man, and after Anderson was promoted, Bourn had the throne all to himself. He earned it, developing into more than just a slash-and-dash player. He did slash and dash his way to the SAL lead in on-base percentage (.430) and stolen bases (58 in 64 tries). "When he got here, he was third polish-wise among our outfielders," said Forbes, citing Jake Blalock and since-traded Javon Moran. "Now far and away he has taken over as the most polished. He made immense strides. To me, he's the ideal leadoff man." Bourn is an 80 runner on the 20-80 scale, getting from the left side of the plate to first base in 3.85 seconds. He has solid average arm strength but still has to improve his reads and routes in center field. Bourn's pop proved surprising, as he slugged .466 and led the league with 14 triples. "He's the fastest player in the league," Phillips said. "I liked him better than Anderson because he has better bat speed and more juice in his bat."